information previously undreamt of, information which Egyptologists
had never dared to hope would be recovered. The sand of Egypt indeed
conceals inexhaustible treasures, and no one knows what the morrow's
work may bring forth.

_Ex Africa semper aliquid novi!_




CHAPTER III--MEMPHIS AND THE PYRAMIDS


Memphis, the "beautiful abode," the "City of the White Wall," is said
to have been founded by the legendary Menés, who in order to build it
diverted the stream of the Nile by means of a great dyke constructed
near the modern village of Koshêsh, south of the village of Mitrahêna,
which marks the central point of the ancient metropolis of Northern
Egypt. It may be that the city was founded by Aha or Narmer, the
historical originals of Mena or Menés; but we have another theory with
regard to its foundation, that it was originally built by King Merpeba
Atjab, whose tomb was also discovered at Abydos near those of Aha and
Narmer. Merpeba is the oldest king whose name is absolutely identified
with one occurring in the XIXth Dynasty king-lists and in Manetho. He
is certainly the "Merbap" or "Merbepa" ("Merbapen") of the lists and the
_Miebis_ of Manetho. In both the lists and in Manetho he stands fifth in
order from Mena, and he was therefore the sixth king of the Ist Dynasty.
The lists, Manetho, and the small monuments in his own tomb agree in
making him the immediate successor of Semti Den (Ousaphaïs), and from
the style of these latter it is evident that he comes after Tja, Tjer,